BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING NEWS

April is a big month for homegrown stars

If you stroll into a movie theater in April, chances are you might see either a Marshalltown native on the screen or the work of a former local resident.

April will be a big month for two of our favorite sons who made it big in Hollywood – director Joseph Kosinski and actor Toby Huss.

Kosinski is releasing his second major motion picture, “Oblivion” on April 19. It stars Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman. Kosinkski also has writing credits.

The film focuses on the remnants of Earth 60 years after an alien invasion. I don’t know too much else about the movie though it looks visually stunning, which is Kosinki’s forte.

You may remember the 1992 Marshalltown High School graduate got his big break directing “Tron: Legacy” which came out a few years ago. I was able to track him down for an interview prior to that movie coming out.

I haven’t been as lucky yet this time around in contacting him, but I’ll keep working at it. So Joseph – call me, maybe?

Kosinski told other news entities that getting Tom Cruise on board for the film was huge. To land Cruise and Freeman in his film gives it instant credibility.

Now on to Huss, who has role in a major film “42” about the groundbreaking baseball player Jackie Robinson. The film opens April 12 and one of its headlining stars in Harrison Ford. Huss plays Clyde Sukeforth, a third base coach who played a major part in signing Robinson.

Huss is featured in the trailer now running on television for the movie saying “Are you Jackie Robinson?”

I talked to Huss about working with Ford when he visited Marshalltown last summer. He admired how professional Ford was as an actor on the set of the film.

“Watching that guy work is a joy,” Huss said. “He’s fantastic.”

Huss, a 1983 Marshalltown High School graduate, is seasoned in the world of entertainment – he has been featured in dozens of television shows and movies.

Let’s hope both of these movies lead to bigger and better things for our homegrown stars.

Throw in the fact people still watch Jean Seberg films and Marshalltown has quite a lot to be proud of in the movie industry in the past and into the future.